Elite
by njking24
Summary: They were the best. The brightest, the greatest. But it all began years before, when they were but gennin on team seven. Yet, even then, they were elite.
1. Chapter 1

Serve your country, protect her bosom with your might. Stand tall and firm with a blade in your hand, and be ready to kill her enemies. Stay in the shadows, and let no light fall down upon you.

~The Anbu code.

xxx-xxx-xxx

"Come on Kakashi."

The silver haired Jounin frowned. A deep, long scowl appearing on his face, even if none could see it from beneath his mask. He sat atop his rooftop building, behind him was the cloaked form of one of his closest friends.

"No…I can't do it. Not them, not those two, and definitely not her. I refuse this team. "

"Kakashi, you can't be that bull headed."

Kakashi snorted. Then laughed at the thought. He could be that bull-headed, he'd been that bull headed for years. Nay all his life. People, for whatever reason, though he assumed it was vanity, just seemed to ignore something so obvious.

"I can, I am, and I will."

"Hokage-sama would appreciate it."

"Sabutori-sama," he smirked at Owl's sudden discomfort.

"_Can go fuck himself." _He thought, then laughed at his own joke. "Sabutori-sama would understand. This team is bound to fail. Politics aside this team," he tossed the folder back at owl. "Wouldn't be able to work at all. All of them mentally unstable in some way. All of them have an unhealthy obsession or the other. All of them, at _least _one of the other. Slapping them on a team, and training them with the basic genin training isn't going to change that. The girl needs sever physical conditioning, look at those scores. Barely passing in any of the physical sections. She can't run long distance, she can't throw, and her chakra levels are just, barely, barely above civilian levels."

He vented, angrily. "Then there's her obsession with the Uchiha? How am I supposed to train her if she spends every waking second she's in his presence focusing on him? I can't. And she's likely the sanest of them all. The Uchiha, when the hell was the last time he even got a psyche evaluation? He seems depressive, and have obviously unhealthy obsession issues. He's probably sociopathic. "

His hair swayed in the wind. His eyes watched Owl raptly, and he slowly flexed muscles unused for days.

"And Naruto, I don't know if the teachers just didn't teach him anything. If he was too stubborn, or stupid- no...it wans't that Naruto's far from stupid- or short sighted to learn. Or if it was some horrible combination of the two, but that kids more or less an idiot right now. A chakra tank, but an idiot all the same. Though…he does show brilliance. His infatuation with sakura though….it's just as unhealthy as _her _obsession with Sasuke…in short, the teams a cluster fuck. I doubt the Hokage would give me permission to do what I'd have to, in order to fix them."

The winds rustled, and faint amounts of smoke wisped past Kakashi's nose. He turned his head to face the new arrival. Standing for a moment to bow in respect before reseating himself.

"Sabutori-sama."

"Kakashi, it would seem that you're worried about the quality of your proposed team?" His voice was soft, and concerned, yet stern. A voice Kakashi had become used to over the years.

"You could say that."

The kage laughed. "Then what do you suggest I do? There are rules in place Kakashi. Rules to keep the balance, and ensure no sensei abuses their power."

"Then make an exception."

"What do you want exactly Kakashi?"

"Naruto needs to have the basics re-drilled into him. Sasuke needs immediate psychological attention. And Sakura, Sakura needs to be reconditioned. They couldn't make a team without it. And Naruto again...what happens when his memories come back? What happens then Hokage-sama. He's not emotionally stable as it is, and when those come back, fresh and raw as that day…he won't handle it well..._he'll _need to have psychological counseling _and _reconditioning. Its best if he starts to be trained to handle sudden trauma and stress."

The old man sighed, and rubbed his hands slowly on his chin, stopping every few instances to twist the stray hairs in his beard.

"Why not psychological for all three of them. Individually at first, then once they've made solid progress group therapy? Give them anbu conditioning and physical training, they all show talent. Spectacular talent. Sakuras mental capabilities and chakra control are nothing to scoff at. Sasuke shows natural talent, he could go places...and Naruto. Well...he's Naruto." The old man muttered to himself as he spoke.

"Yet...they wouldn't make a good team?"

"Not as they are."

"I could do that…I could make it happen. But...Kakashi, this is no joke. I'd want results. I'd be calling in a lot of favors to make this happen, and if this doesn't pay off…"

xxx-Naruto-xxx

He'd been lied too.

The evening breeze of Konoha blew past him, tussling his blond hair, and making it fly in the wind. Sky blue eyes watched the city below their owner with trepidation. Naruto scowled, white teeth baring in anger and frustration as he watched the people walk below. For a second he cast his eyes to the falling evening sun. He felt depression fall upon him, a deep, dark feeling of anger and sadness, dropping on him like the weight of the world.

He'd been lied too…

He sobbed, a deep uncontrollable shaking of his chest, and salty wet tears dripped down from his face. He frowned. His face morphed into a visage of sorrow, and for an instant he allowed a deep croak of sorrow to escape his lips. He smashed his hand against the hard packed earth next to him.

The one person he had trusted…

He wanted to scream. To shout. To _howl_ in anguish, and frustration, and anger, and _injustice_ and the sheer cruelty of his fellow human beings. He wanted too…but he didn't. Instead he sobbed to himself, feeling the betrayal, and loneliness, and pain roll through him like waves in a sea. Ebbing only for a few instance only to come back more horrible, more terrible, far, far, _far_ worse than before.

"Are you just going to sit here, all depressed, wallowing in your own sorrow? Little fox…I thought you were stronger than that." He turned to the voice, wiping his eyes hurriedly and in shame.

He looked up, and his breath caught in his throat. It was him…

_Jackal._

Jackal, good, strong, always there Jackal. Jackal who had disappeared when he'd been but a boy. Jackal who'd stood there and held him when he couldn't sleep. Jackal who had thought him to cook, and read, and live on his own. Jackal…who had one day disappeared, and when he'd asked the old man…that day had been sad.

And yet…here was Jackal. Representing another betrayal…and yet…

More tears fell from his face.

He didn't know what to feel anymore. Jackal took off his mask, revealing a pale face and one brown eye. Silver hair frayed in the wind.

"I'm your teacher little fox," his hands reached out, smaller than he last remembered, and ruffled his hair playfully. "But then again…you're not so little are you, Naruto. Though you're not so big either."

"J..jackal."

He smiled a warm smile down at him. "It's Kakashi…go grab some of your stuff kid, all the things you need, your clothes…your equipment. Your moving in with me, your entire team is…"

"Team?"

"You were made a ninja a few days ago, and the Hokage made some…special provisions for a special team. I'm leading it…and you're a part of it. Now go. I'll pick you up in a couple hours." Suddenly his voice took on an aloof turn. He put a smile on his face, patted him on his head, and moved on.

He was gone. Just like that. But still…he'd been lied too. He frowned, as the feeling of elation, and joy, faded away. As the confused mess of emotions finally settled and he returned to the status quo.

The old man had lied to him….he couldn't trust him anymore.

xxx-Sasuke-xxx

He smashed the bottle against the wall in a mad rage. The soy sauce spilt onto the wall, splashed onto the floor, and slowly started to stain all it had come into contact with. His pale skin was a deep, hot, red due to his anger. His breathing was heavy…

"God dammit!"

He needed to throw _something, anything. _

He picked up a bowl, and threw that too. And like the countless other things he'd thrown that night it smashed against the wall.

"God fucking dammit!" He'd never felt so angry…so…hateful. " After everything, I've done, after how hard I've tried. After practicing day in and day out, again, and again, and again…"

"Nothing to show for it. So far away...I'm so far away! God damnit!"

He smashed his hand on his kitchen counter and held back a scream of madness fueled anger. Of frustration. He felt…betrayed. A deep awful feeling he hadn't felt since his brother had killed his family. He hadn't been given a team…

"Such an impetuous child." The voice seemed aloof and uncaring.

He whirled at the voice, kunia drawn. He found an anbu sitting there, still dressed in the black, long sleeved garb. His hood pulled back, and his silver hair glowing a yellow in the dim glow of his living room. He noted the jackal mask on his side. He was eating some of his tomatoes.

The only sweet ones he could find in the entire marked. He was eating _his _tomatoes.

"Who are you?"

"Your new teacher." He took another bite of his tomatoes. Sasuke watched in anger, not quite as angry as before, but still his rage seethed beneath the surface like a monster before a raging storm. "That little outburst of yours? You'll need to stop that. Or ill beat it out of you."

"You're eating my tomatoes."

"I am."

"Can you stop that?"

"No." He stopped to take a bite. "I'm eating. Can't you see that?" He said it like it was an obvious thing. "You're impetuous and a rude host. Of all the students I could get...you're quite terrible." He stood up and stretched, walked casually to sasuke's fridge and pulled out another sweet tomato and a bottle of water.

Sasuke watched in anger as the anbu ate more of his food. He barely kept it in check, such was his rage.

"Look," he took another bite of his, meaning sasuke's tomato. "I'll be back in three hours, rude little boy. Pack your clothing, you'll be moving in with me and the rest of your teammates for specialized training. I hope by the time I've returned, that you've gotten over this little hissy fit of yours."

He took yet another bite of his tomato. "…"

"And learn some manners. I won't have any student of mine walking around, i'll-coiffed and worse yet ill-mannered. What would the other teachers think of me? Why they'd think I'm lazy and uncaring. I am, but I don't want them to think that."

He patted Sasuke on the head, chuckled, finished the last of his tomato and disappeared in a puff of rich white smoke. Sasuke huffed, his anger gone at the sudden revelation of an elite teacher, and the strange aloofness of the man. He looked around, walked to his fridge and opened it up.

All his tomatoes were gone.

xxx-Sakura-xxxx

She walked into her home, a look of sad depression on her face. Her pink hair hung limply on her forehead. Her eyes were a deep red from tears shed hours before, but her face was still carried the markings of great sadness. She looked defeated…and felt even more so.

"Mom I'm home…" Her voice carried the sad, dejected tone of defeat and depression. Of lost dreams.

"Oh my Sakura! Just in time dear. Your new sensei is here, and look what he brought. Sweet tomatoes!"

She turned to the sweet toned voice of her mother. A new sensei? She hadn't gotten a new sensei. She and Sasuke-kun had went to class for assignment only to be sent home. The two outcasts of the class not getting teams.

"Hello."

She turned to the voice. He was handsome, she noted, and dressed in anbu garb. Long black cloak, and a white jackal mask on his hip. His silver hair contrasted what he wore with ease.

"HI…" She stammered the word out awkwardly.

"I'm Kakashi, your new sensei."

He turned to her mother, a strange eye-smile on his face. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

"The same Kakashi-san. I'll have her get ready. It's an honor for the hokage-sama to consider Sakura so talented. It's an even greater honor to have someone so esteemed as you teaching her."

He smiled at her mother, waved, and disappeared in a puff of smoke, and a whirlwind of leaves.

"Kaa-san, what's going on?" Her mother moved from the den to the kitchen. Picking up the cups of tea that had been on the table. "Sakura, I heard you didn't get a team today."

She nodded and put her head down in defeat. "That's because Hokage-sama saw how talented you were! He's put you on a specialized team. Kakashi-sans going to be your teacher. You'll be living with him and a few of your teammates for a few months."

"Kaa-san…are you okay with this?"

"Of course. Kakashi-sans a reputable man. Well respected and even a student of the yondaime. You'll be fine, now go get ready."

"Okay, Kaa-san."

xxx-Sakura-xxx

Sakura stood awkwardly before the cabin logged in the back of Konoha's woods. Kakashi came out, a small wide smile on his face.

"Hello, Sakura. Glad you could make it. Why don't you go inside, your room will be the fourth room to the left? Put your things down and head to the backyard. Your teammates will be outside in the backyard."

She smiled at him. And rushed to room he'd prescribed for her. When she entered, what she found was Spartan. A bed, a mirror, a dresser, and a shelf on the wall. The room was painted a stark eggshell white, and the dim light of the evening sun filtered through the one window. It was bare, and she let out a dejected sigh of defeat.

"This room…its so…"

"You like it?" She jumped in surprise as a voice appeared beside her. It was her sensei, and he had that same eye smile she'd seen earlier that day.

"Um…"

"Don't worry! It'll grow on you. Soon you'll come to call this place home! Why don't you head outside? Your teammates are already waiting on you." She turned around to put her stuff down, and when she turned, he was gone.

She looked out the window to the green training field below. The training stumps below looked worn, used for years and battered, the grass was over grown, the tree were covered with the slash marks of years of training, and the small lake was a dirty brown.

She shuffled out of her room and down to the training ground.

On one stump was a head of familiar blond hair. She frowned. Naruto, of all people to be slumped with…Naruto. She turned to the other form she'd only seen in her peripheral vision. She gasped. In the late evening sun, the sunlight casting sharp shadows on his face. His features made him look so handsome, so wonderful. She held back a squeal of excitement.

"So we're all here!"

She jumped in surprise.

"Hello sensei!"

"Hmm…"

"Hi…" She turned to face the defeated, dejected voice…it was Naruto. She frowned. That…that was weird.

"Let's all introduce ourselves hmm…Little fox. You start."

Naruto sighed. "I'm Naruto…" he sighed again. This was weird. She'd never seen Naruto of all people sad. "I like ramen, and pulling pranks. That's about it…"

"And you Pinkie?"

"I'm Sakura, I like," she squealed as she cast a look at Sasuke. "My dreams are…" Another glance. "I dislike Ino and Naruto." She heard a loud sigh come from the boy, and say a slight look of disapproval cross Kakashi's face before it returned to its seemingly natural aloof state.

"Finally you, short, pale, broody, and rude."

"My name is Sasuke. I like nothing. My hobbies are training, and practicing. My dream is to kill a certain man."

"Well! Now that the unimportant people have spoken it's my turn. My name is Kakashi. You'll refer to me as Kakashi- sensei, or just plain sensei. My likes are none of your business. My hobbies are none of your business. What _is_ your business is what I say. What I tell you to do, _you _will do it." She felt an overbearing force push down on her. Like the fist of god pressing down on her chest. An unbearable, incomprehensible weight, she wanted to run. To hide.

"Starting tomorrow you'll start training. Each of you have been chosen for a very specific reason. Sakura, you have excellent memory recall and problem analysis capabilities, as well as excellent chakra control. Naruto, you're a chakra tank, you have an excellent stealth and trap making skills, and sasuke you're a well rounded, highly skilled ninja. I'll train you. Enhance your strengths, and round out your weaknesses." He stopped for a moment, to let his words settle in.

"I want you all, everyone one of you to listen. Your teammates now. You may, or may not have prescribed notions about one another. _Forget them_." The weight fell back on her shoulder again. He was going to kill them. Then it was gone.

"Now," he smiled. "Lets go get some dinner and get to know each other better."

**xxx-Authors Note-xxx**

**This story is special. Its meant to teach me character development, story progression and world building. I use all my stories to teach me different things about writing, and then I apply them. For instance "Other worlds is about world building. Its a story meant for me to create weird, strange worlds and shake things up a bit." "Waves of time is about character building." And "Drive...drive was about learning to write descriptions. I forced myself to do it, and I could write descriptions a hell of a lot better." This story is about something else. Character relationships. How characters interact and behave with one another. I notice my characters, and a lot of fanfic characters exist in this single person void. They ****interact**** with other characters sure, but the relationships that ****exist**** between two human people don't seem to be there. This story is my attempt to learn how to do that. I hope you like it. Read and review. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Xxx-authors note-xxx**

**This chapter is 4.8k words without my chapters note(s). I liked this chapter and I hope you like it too. **

xxx-Sasuke-xxx

The days blurred for sasuke. They came and went like a wayward breeze, shifted like leaves in a forest, all different, and yet all fundamentally the same. They came, they went. They all started the same, for the sake sake of his sanity, he followed the same repetitious pattern. Every morning he woke at six. He then rolled off his bed, shuffled to his bathroom and showered.

Breakfast was next, it was simple, two eggs, a cup of tea and a tomato. He then left for training until seven thirty where he returned home, showered once more, and went to school. That was his mornings, Mondays through Saturday. Repetition, repetition, repetition.

So at six he woke up. The light of early morning shining down through the one available window. He brushed a stray strand of raven black hair out of his face, and sighed a deep, forlorn sigh. He walked to the closest bathroom, showered, brushed his teeth and returned back to the bare room he'd been given by Kakashi-sensei, and changed.

When he walked down the stairwell to the living room, he was surprised too see both Naruto and Kakashi already awake, quietly eating breakfast in the kitchen adjacent to the living room. They cast a wayward glance towards him, and Kakashi pointed to the boiling kettle of tea behind him.

"Morning sleepy head." As he poured himself a cup of tea he turned to face his new teacher. A look of distaste on his face. "Grab a cup of tea, the caffeine will wake you up."

"Hmmm..."

"Don't make anything to eat this morning. We'll wait and talk until six thirty, if the loveliest of the three of you isn't awake by then we'll wake her up."

Sasuke sat at the table, keeping his eyes on his cup of tea and sipping it with care. He didn't want to talk to Naruto, the idiot, or Kakashi.

"Sensei...what will we be doing today." He didn't say anything but he glanced up at Kakashi to see what the man would say.

The man smiled at them, his eyes twinkling in some perverse glee that he took appraisal of the two. He laughed at some joke only he himself knew. Then, ignoring them, took a sip of his tea...through his mask. Sasuke had to stop from gagging, how many times did he do that? Did he even wash that face mask?

Kakashi put the tea down, the cold, harsh, blue florescent lights making his silver hair glow. Kakashi cast a wayward glance outside, and Sasuke did the same. He took another sip of his tea, sighed and put the cup down once more. Kakashi, Sasuke noted, seemed to take things at his own pace. Never moving faster than he ever had too.

"Today will be a team exercise from seven to twelve. Afterwards will be lunch, then we'll return back here where i'll assign the three of you study material for the week. Then-"

Naruto spoke up in protest. "Study?!"

Sasuke realized it was the first time he'd been truly loud since they'd arrive here. He took another sip of tea and watched his new teammate. It was obvious they'd have to study. Kakashi could only teach so much at one time. He'd give them material and they'd likely have to take steps to progress their own skills. Thats what they'd be expected to do when they were chunin.

"Of course. I can't teach everything you'd need to learn. Some initiative wouldn't hurt at all, and please refrain from interrupting me. It's rather rude, and I already have one rude student as it is. Imagine the horror of having two!"

Sasuke gripped his cup harder in his hand. Anger flushed over him, but after a moment it was gone.

"Once you're done with study time the three of you will then go to evening practice. Where I'll help you hone your various skill sets. Finally we'll return back here or, if I deem it appropriate, go to a restaurant.

"Oh, okay." Naruto said.

Sasuke finished the last of his tea, stood up, washed the cup and placed it back from whence it came. He cast a look at the clock. Fifteen minutes more before they woke Sakura.

Xxx-Naruto-xxx

Naruto breathed heavily, desperately trying to fill his lung with air. Sweet, sweet air. He was keeled over, his hand on his knees, sweat dripping down his face and into the hard dirt beneath his feet. A cool breeze whipped past him, tickled his face and chilled his skin. He dragged in more breaths of air, desperately trying to calm his breathing. Black spots appeared in his vision.

The heat of the burgeoning Konoha sun hung over him like a furnace, a burning inferno heating the world and making it impossible for him to cool down. It should be impossible for it to be so hot so early in the morning.

He cast a look around him, watching both his teammates struggling as well-far more than he- to catch their breaths. Kakashi, who'd kept up with all of them, then him and Sasuke when Sakura had finally dropped out, then finally him when Sasuke could no longer run, seemed unphased by It all.

"Good! I cant believe it, fifteen miles, very god Naruto-kun. See Sasuke-kun? You're not as skilled as you think you are. Imagine if you had to face a stamina freak like Naruto-kun in battle. He'd tire you down, then kill you as you desperately tried to get away, unable to move anymore." Kakashi patted Naruto happily on the head. A smile on his face.

"And Sakura-chan, I didn't realize you were so physically unfit. A mile, and you could barely do anymore. At least Sasuke-kun got in another three miles before he continued on. Hmm... you two require far more severe physical conditioning. In fact you all do. But thats a moot point for today at least. "

He rubbed his chin, a small smile blossoming on his face. Water bottles appeared in their hands, and Naruto took a long deep swig of water, and he watched as his teammates took deep drinks as well.

"Now that were done with warm ups, lets get started on your team exercise." He pulled a book from his back pocket. It was orange, and fit neatly in his palm. It looked well read, yer well take care of.

"This book if my favorite book. I rather enjoy it, you see." A small dog appeared next to him in a poof of smoke. He handed the book to the dog, and it scampered off into the forests surrounding the small cabin. "I want my book back, you have until noon to get it for me. _Work __together__. _If noon arrives and I _still_ don't have my book I'll be in a poor mood. Such a poor mood in-fact, that I'll have to eat your lunches to make me feel better."

Naruto cast a look of disdain to his sadist of a teacher. Thats why the man said they shouldn't eat breakfast. The insane run, the lack of breakfast, was all a part of this. He wondered if training going to be like this every day.

"Well..." He glanced at them, and the forests the canine had disappeared into.

Xxx-Kakashi-xxx

The bar smelled of alcohol, sweat, sex, and blood. Silver hair glistened in the dim yellow light of the small hobbel hidden in an alleyway in the less pleasant side of the village. Kakashi took a long swig of alcohol. He let out a sigh as he felt its warm tingle travel down his chest, and finally settle into his bowls. He took another drink when he felt a familiar presence also enter the bar.

"Asuma."

"Hmm...cheary as always ay Kakashi?"

Kakashi laughed then took another swig. "Of course. You act as if being happy is a sin Asuma. Don't you have a team you should be training?"

"I gave them the day off. I pushed them pretty hard yesterday, and they deserve it." Kakashi nodded and took another swig of sake. It was good stuff, sweet, but not overly so, yet it still carried the slight burn of strong alcohol.

"And you...don't you have a team or something you should be attending too?"

"I should, but I have Pakun running them through a little exercise. And while they're at it I decided why not get a little bit of the drink in."

Asuma laughed. "Barkeep, get me a drink of the strongest stuff you have. I want to feel it burning my throat tomorrow morning! And put it on Kakashi's tab. The bastard still owes me drinks from last time."

"Don't put shit on my tab barkeep! I payed him back. Why I said thanks for the drinks. Everyone knows my thanks are of the highest value." The Kakashi laughed, and Asuma joined in as well. "So what do you have them doing? And who's on your team anyways." 

"I got Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura."

"You've got the heavy assault team then?" Kakashi laughed.

"I wouldn't consider them a heavy assault team as they are now. The girl doesn't know anything practical, though she's got a good head on her. The Uchiha is too conceited to work on a team well, i'm going to have to beat it out of him it looks like, and Naruto...well, he needs his basics reworked. They could be great...but their diamonds in the rough, really, really rough. Right now they're trying to get a copy of Ichi Icha from Pakun. I'll be here for another hour or so before I go after them and put an end to it. Their not going to catch him."

"Trying to get them to realize they need to work together in order to succeed?"

Kakashi smiled and drank once more. "You could say that."

"You might have to be more forward. From what I heard both the Uchiha, and the Uzumaki are both set in their ways. They might not realize it if you try to be coy with them. Remember its not how you teach the lesson, its the fact that they learn it."

"Your only saying that because you don't want to be creative."

Assume laughed, and slugged Kakashi in the arm. "Barkeep another round. On my friend here again!"

"Like hell. Barkeep don't charge shit on my tab. One drink is enough. He'd drink me out of house and home If I let him. Look at that look in his eyes, those are the eyes of an alcoholic just looking for a source of free booze."

Asuma pulle a fifty ryo note of out his pocket and slapped it on the bar counter. "Fill me back up please, and fuck off Kakashi i'm not an alcoholic, I just like being drunk all the time."

They burst out in laughter, and Asuma slapped a hand on the silver haired Jounin back in amusement.

Kakashi cast a look towards the clock on the far wall of the cell. Forty more minutes before he'd have to go and pick up his team. He held onto his drink and nursed it slowly. He didn't want to get drunk, or even buzzed. He ran a stray hand through his silver locks, cast a look once more at the clock.

Thirty nine more minutes. He frowned. He shouldn't have looked at the clock, now he was hyper aware of the time. It's passage would be slow now, momentous. Moving slower than it had any-right moving. He looked down at his glass, observed that it glistened in the dim yellow light, and frowned.

"So what are you going to do once the exercise you have them running through is done?"

"Some lunch-or not- depending on if they succeed in completing the exercise I gave them. I doubt it though. Then we've some practical learning, one on one training." Kakashi cast another look at the clock. Thirty more minutes.

"Hmm...good plan. You're taking this a whole lot more seriously than I thought you would."

"They seem like they could be great. I want them to achieve what they can be. I can see part of my old team in them. I can't change what happened in the past, but when I saw them yesterday I couldn't help but to wonder what would have happened had sensei done thing differently from the get go."

Asuma remained quite. It was like that for a while, a small pregnant pause that led to a deep comfortable silence between friends. Kakashi cast a look at the clock, it was noon.

Xxx-Sakura-xxx

Sweat dripped of her like a waterfall. She lay back in the shade of one of the many trees in the forest desperately trying to gain back her breath. Her pink hair hung down on her like thick carpeting. It felt awful against her skin, irritation and itching. Her green eyes looked on to her two teammates. Sasuke looked angry, exhausted and frustrated, Naruto looked winded, but didn't show any of the sheer exhaustion she and Sasuke displayed.

She swallowed some spit, desperate for any liquid to quench her thirst.

There was a poof of smoke, and suddenly, there was Kakashi. He seemed disappointed, and his face, despite its mask, displayed a look that asked "is that all?" For her, it was.

"Hmm...too bad. It seems the three of you don't get lunch today. What a shame." He pulled out a bag of bento boxes. There were thee in all. He opened one and started to eat it in front of them. Suddenly her stomach growled and she looked away in shame.

"You seem hungry Sakura...sadly in this day and age one must work for their meals. Tough times these days!" Her sensei was far too jovial for her liking.

Another growl, and she turned to Sasuke. He looked angry, murderous at their teacher, Naruto looked on in contempt as well. She found herself, as well getting angry at him. They stood in silence as he finished their meals. All three boxes, gone in a seeming flash, behind the the black mask of their sensi.

"Well...now that lunch is dealt with lets move on to the next activity of the day." He pulled out a scroll from one of his vest pockets and rolled it out on the forest floor. Still trying to catch her breath she moved, slowly, closer to her sensei. He pressed his hand across the seal, and in a puff of chakra smoke books appeared.

"Sakura this is a biology text book I...borrowed...from the one of the beginner medic classes of Konoha General Hospital. Read chapters one through three by the end of the week. On saturday you will be heading there to take a test. If you fail to pass with at least and eighty five you'll run laps around Konoha until _I'm _tired." She grabbed the thick textbook, and nodded. She looked at the cover, it was red, with the text "Konoha Medic textBook:Unit 102" etched into the side. She had a feeling Kakashi had in fact stolen the book.

She watched as he turned to her teammates. His silver hair glistening in the noonday. She noted, he was handsome, even if he had a mask and headband covering most of his face.

"Naruto there are three books for you. The first if 'Sealing, the basics of understanding the language', the second is called 'Trap making, trap planning, and trap baiting.' I want the first chapter in the book on sealing read by Saturday, I want the first three chapters on trap making read by saturday as well. The last book is called "The strategic mind, exercises for individual nin." Do all exercises held within Is that understood?" She watched as Naruto nodded.

"Why do I have to read a book on trap making? Or even sealing...I'm not good with either of those." He seemed like he was shouting to her, and somewhat depressed. She'd never seen the boy behave this way before.

"You are you just don't realize it. Your pranks were rather elaborate traps, you also show burgeoning capabilities for planning ahead and properly accessing a situation in order to adapt to unexpected changes."

She watched as a small smile blossomed on Naruto face, and smiled herself. He wasn't so bad, when he was quite.

"Finally is Sasuke. You have two books. The first is called 'Proper Mannerisms for partaking in the social sphere: Or how to make friend and not lose them.' The second is called 'Anger management for the rage inclined.' I'd give you something else, but...you really need to work on those atrocious manners of yours." She stifled a giggle when Kakashi smiled widely at the ever angrier sasuke. She felt bad for him of course, while all of them over the day had been mocked by their sensei, Sasuke seemed to be getting the brunt of the treatment so far.

But yet...Kakashi was somewhat humorous with his straight faced attitude and concern towards what should have been something not worth noticing at all.

"Ill give you all a few hours to read your books then I'll be back. Ive got a suprise for you all!"

xxx-sasuke-xxx

He looked around the room in disdain. A frown etched onto his face. He didn't want to be here. He didn't believe he even belonged here. The scowl on his face deepened. He didn't need any physiological consoling, yet...Kakashi had forced him here. He was disliking the man the longer the day went on.

Sasuke sighed. The Uchiha in frustration blew a wayward strand of black out out of his face. He looked across the room at his supposed therapist. He was a lean man, tall-even taller than Kakashi- with dark brown hair, and watching brown eyes. In his hands he held a notepad, and a pen. On his desk was a silver placard with the words " " etched into it. The brown haired man leaned back into the wooden rocking chair and smiled at Sasuke. The last Uchiha scowled back.

" So...you've decided you're not going to talk eh?"

"..."

"I see." The Dr. laughed. A wide grin appearing on his face. "You don't have to talk at all. We can remain here, and I'll just ask you questions. How does that sound?"

"..."

The doctor laughed again. "Okay..lets get started. These are basic questions to test whether or not you have the basic emotional necessities to participate in the shinobi corps. We normally run this an individual shows signs of...mental inconsistencies during the academy, or mandatorily once one becomes a chunin. However we're going to give this test to you and both your teammates to ensure that you are indeed mentally fit for combat. Do you understand?"

Sasuke watched the dark haired man in apprehension. He doubted the other genin were being given tests like these. He would have heard of them. But...Kakashi had stated they were to be a special team. So perhaps they were testing to insure they were fit for the team they'd envisioned? Still...was it wise to remain quiet...He pondered on it for a few more Seconds. He'd answer these questions, but one they were done he'd remain quiet once more.

"Yes." smiled.

"Please be honest with me. If you lie to me I'll know and it will be part of the report I write. The last thing i'd want to happen is that you were denied ninja status due to mental issues all because you decided it appropriate to try to lie to me during a simple test."

He frowned at the mans thinly veiled threat...or was it a threat. Perhaps it was a warning. In all truth he couldn't tell and it bothered him.

"Let's begin then. You see a man on the street. He's old, and he's begging for money. There is also a woman on the street. Why she's nowhere as old she does have a young child with her of five years of age or so. For the purposes of this thought experiment assume that you have a single Fifty Ryuu note. Whom do you give the money too?"

"The mother."

The brown haired doctor scribbled quickly. His pen touching the pad for only s seconds before leaving it.

"There are two men drowning, both are fisherman. One of the drowning men is standing atop the shoulder of the others in a desperate attempt to save himself. His attempts are futile and only further endangering both their lives. In order to save one of the dying men you must kill the one standing atop the shoulders of the other. Do you kill the man?"

Sasuke stopped and thought it over. It made sense to kill the man standing atop the shoulder of his fellow fisherman in order to save his life to save at least one of them.

"Yes." There was more scribbling.

"There..." The questioning went on like that for what seemed like hours. Finally he stopped.

"Hmm...were done with that." He put the notepad away, and Sasuke wondered what the man had written so far. He was ready to not talk at all.

"Lets talk one to one. Patient to doctor."

"..."

"Agh,...were going to play the silent game are we? Well...ILl just keep asking my questions. You've still got a bit of time here, in case you didn't know.

"So Sasuke...tell me...do you like your teammates..."

"..." He watched as the man scribbled on his notepad. "Well do you like your sensei." He said nothing. "A no then?"

More scribing. More writing. Sasuke found himself getting agitated. "Why don't you like your teammates?"

"..."

"Are they and annoyance." The Dr. stared at him for a while, then smiled. "So annoying, well thats understandable. Do you think they drag you down maybe?"

More writing on the pad. He could feel himself getting angrier. "Please control your anger Sasuke-kun, or at least hide it better. You're quite obvious. It seems you believe your teammates to be a drag on your team Sasuke. That the hold you back. Yet, consider this, Konoha is investing considerable amounts of resources into your team. Would it do so if the people on your teamed didn't the the same potential as you? They simply haven't matured yet Sasuke-kun your teammates are but diamonds in the rough. You all are. Who knows one day you might come to rely on them and their skills heavily, give them a chance. I have no doubt that by the end of your month long recursion Kakashi-san would have helped bring out some of the latent talents you teammates have and you will no longer view them as the burdens you think they are."

"..."

"Be as disbelieving as you want Sasuke-kun." He finished with a small smile

xxx-Naruto-xxxx

"Now that that is over with Naruto-kun lets sit down and have a nice personal conversation. One on one."

was a small man, barely taller than Naruto in face. His black hair was short, cut to the barest length minimum barely passing his head. His dark blue eyes were vivid, strong, and potent. His frame was...frail, tiny and small. But, his smile was wide, and white teeth and pink gums glee med from his tanned face. His face was shard, high cheekbones, and a defined, if somewhat pointed chin.

"What should we talk about?" Naruto had decided he liked the man from the moment he met him, he was kind, accepting, something that was rare amongst the populace of Konoha.

"Well...what about your dream...do you have a dream." He stopped, put a thin hand against his head and laughed. "That seems somewhat contrived, you know? Asking you if you have a dream. Everyone has a dream...even if its short term."

Naruto smiled, the first smile he'd had in a few days. The first genuine smile in nearly two weeks. It felt good, to smile again.

"I want to be Hokage."

"Thats a good dream, and reachable if you apply yourself." He smiled at Naruto.

"You're really think I could do it?" It felt good finding someone who also thought he could be Kage, who saw him and believed in him.

"Without a doubt I think you could do it. You seem like a hardworking young man, someone that goes headfirst into a challenge and will keep trying until they succeed. Gumption is one of the traits necessary to be a Kage, and you have gumption in spades." He picked up a small tea-cup of coffee off the brown mahogany table sitting in the center of his room.

He took a sip, cleared his throat and started to talk again.

"Though...I wonder...would you mind if I asked a question?"

"You're a shrink, aren't you supposed to ask questions?"

"Good point." Another smile. "But just because I ask a question doesn't mean you're obligated to answer me. Still...why do you want to be Hokage?"

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. His blond, spiky hair covered his eyes for a few seconds. He tried to speak, to answer the question...then, suddenly he stopped. He could articulate why he wanted to be hokage.

It frustrate him, being unable to answer something that should have been simple...then in horror he realized why he couldn't answer. He didn't know why he wanted to be Hokage.

"I dont...i dont know."

"Hmm...I'm sure you do. You just haven't conscientiously become aware of it. Lets talk about it, whats 'cool' to you about the Kage's office?"

"Well..." Naruto stopped to think for a moment, hand traveling behind his head as he thought things over. "The Hokage's the strongest ninja in the village, he's the smartest one too! And everyone loves the hokage...no one makes fun of, or is mean too or even hits the Hokage for no reason. He's respected, he's loved."

"So...perhaps its the respect, the love that you're attracted too?"

Naruto stopped for a moment to think it over. It was...wasn't it. He wanted to be Hokage because he wanted to be loved, to be respected...to be noticed.

"I think your going about this all wrong Naruto-kun. One doesn't become hokage unless one already has the respect, the love, the admiration and notice of the people. The job doesn't come with those thing, one must have those things before one gets the job..."'

"Oh.." He hadn't even really known what he'd wanted to be. What his dream was anymore. When he'd graduated he had wanted to be Hokage...but that had changed when He'd been betrayed, lied too...

"Don't be so down on yourself Naruto-Kun you could still be Kage. You just have to be social, make friends..."

"I can't make friends because of my...condition..."

"Nonsense. You can make friends, you simply have to keep trying..."

"I don't know how..."

"Its something that can't be thought. You just gotta dive into it and keep trying. How about your teammates? Start with them. You'll be spending the most time with them. If you can make them friends of them, then it should be easy."

Naruto frowned. seemed so confident, so absolutely sure of himself and what he was saying it was somewhat difficult to rebuff the man. Was it really that easy to make friends?

"They don't like me. Even Sakura-chan doesn't like me...I've tried being nice to her, but she always yells and hit me." He frowned as he spoke the words. She did always hit him...and yet, he always came back. Always asking for another date.

"Well...try a different approach. How do you normally go about being nice to her..?"

"Well I'll tell her she's pretty and ask her out on a date...that's what i'm supposed to do right?"

Dr. Izumi frowned, and quickly wrote down some notes on his notepad. His hand scrawling around the paper.

"Not exactly. You usually only ask people you're romantically interested in on dates, but I have a feeling that you're confusing simple physical attraction with romantic interest. You haven't exactly had someone around to help you sort out your emotions. It's understandable you wouldn't quite grasps the various subtitles of social interactions..."

"What?" 

"You didn't have anyone to teach you what was normal, so you can't be normal until you learn how to be normal...not to say that your abnormal."

"So...you'll teach me to be normal?"

"Not quite, I'll give you tips to go about learning to be normal. Its something you'll have to learn on your own. Social interactions are a learning experience. How about this, start small. Instead of asking Sakura-san out on a date, talk to her. Ask her about the weather, how she's feeling, what she's doing or interested in. People will react more openly, when it appears as if you're interested in them. Do the same with Sasuke-kun, he might be less likely to respond, but still...keep your hopes up. And don't be overbearing, if they seem to be annoyed, take time, give them space. An overbearing personality is one of the ways to turn new friends, into old ones very quickly."

Naruto nodded and smiled. A wide toothed grin was on his face.

"Thanks doc! I'll take everything you said into consideration."

**xxx-authors note-xxxx**

**The authors note: This chapter is longer than I thought it would be. Just about 4.8k words, its been a few weeks since I updated, and having some free time I decided to work on this. This chapter was fun to write. I worked on characterization, trying to bring about Kakashi as his own person, trying to show Naruto and ****Sasuke**** are more than one dimensional characters. I was going to include a ****psyche**** session with Sakura but then I decided to hold off her until next chapter. Things will go slow for a few chapters, then they will pick up and ill start to move the story at a bit of a faster pace. Read and review, this story is a lot more popular than I thought it would be. **

**Please...read and review. Thats the only way this will get updated anytime soon. **


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